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Europe makes a wave with marine energy

Abundant resource finally being tapped

Europe is leading the way in the development of renewable energy sources that
harness the natural motion of waves and other marine phenomena.

Wave energy sources are abundant, consistent and predictable, and have the
highest energy density among all renewable energy sources, according to research
by
Frost
& Sullivan.

The most effective wave energy producing areas are between 40 and 60 degrees
of latitude where the available resource can produce 30kW/m to 70kW/m, with
peaks of 100kW/m.

The potential global wave energy contribution to the electricity market could
be around 2,000TWh/year, equating to about 10 per cent of world electricity
consumption.

Analysts predict that the marine energy sector is set to grow. But government
support, financial investment and technological advances are vital to push the
marine energy sector into the commercial mainstream.

"Wave energy technology is being developed in a number of countries, but
Europe is leading the way in innovative technologies and pilot projects, and is
pushing existing technologies towards commercialisation," said Gouri
Nambudripad, research analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

"The UK, having some of the best wave resource in the world, is targeting 40
per cent of its energy from renewables by 2050 of which 20 per cent is to be
sourced from wave and tidal energy.

"The UK is estimated to possess the capacity to generate approximately 87TWh
of wave power annually equivalent to 20 to 25 per cent of current UK demand.

"Moreover, the UK has committed £25m since 1999 towards the wave and tidal
programme."

The study divides wave energy devices into three main categories: shore-line,
near-shore and offshore.

About 1,000 patents for wave energy converters are currently in the market
and broadly fall under these categories. But with so many technologies there is
no clear consensus on which will prevail.

There are two main research centres in Europe focusing on the development and
commercialisation of ocean energy technologies.

The
European
Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, Scotland provides developers with sites to
test prototypes. Government and other public sector organisations have invested
around £15m in the creation of the centre and its two marine laboratories.

The
Wave
Energy Centre in Portugal provides strategic and technical support to
companies, R&D institutions and public organisations. It also looks for
international co-operation helping foreign companies test devices in Portuguese
waters.